Economic Gains of a Liberal Arts Education

Inside Higher Ed has recently published an article titled The Economic Gains (Yes, Gains) of a Liberal Arts Education. The article, in the February 15 edition of the online resource, cites a new analysis commissioned by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that disputes the claims that a liberal arts undergraduate education hurts career prospects. In fact, for most students, a liberal arts education leads to meaningful economic mobility over the course of their professional lives. The report summarizes: “Critics claim that a liberal arts education is worth less than the alternatives. . . especially compared to alternative options such as pre-professional programs that appear to be better rewarded in the current labor market. Existing evidence does not support those conclusions.” The full report as well as other Foundation reports linked to the liberal arts are found here.